Securing your network architecture is an important part of any internal security program. In this article, we will be talking about wireless networks, Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) 2, WPA2 Enterprise, PSKs, and AES encryption.

Wireless networking has become almost ubiquitous in our daily lives. Whether it’s at work or at home, you can never avoid it long enough to start protecting yourself.

By now, most people have encountered a poor quality Wi-Fi connection at some location they frequent. It could be a coffee shop, a hotel, or even their own office!

If possible, these individuals would connect with another less restrictive internet source to find what sites are accessible via Wi-Fi. Unfortunately, many don’t, leaving them vulnerable to hackers looking for that next big prize.

That’s why it is crucial to know how to secure your network architecture! By knowing the basics of each element of your network, you can help prevent malicious activity.

Set up secure boundaries

It is very important to establish clear network security policies as well as clear internal organizational network boundary lines. This can be done through limiting access by job function, creating separate work areas or departments, using different software for online applications, and so on.

Establishing these types of barriers effectively will help protect your organization’s data in the event that someone working for you gets caught trying to leak sensitive information or do damage to the company.

It also helps prevent malicious actors who may try to gain access to confidential info by looking for weak links within an organization. By protecting individual users from each other, it creates more robust safeguards.

Use strong passwords

A strong password is one that uses a mix of uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and special characters so that it is difficult to type in incorrectly. These are often referred to as a password “strength” test!

Many people do not give much thought to how easy or hard it is to find their username and password when creating an account. This can be easily fixed by using a unique set of credentials for every site you use.

By having different usernames and passwords, you will have more opportunities to learn about security through trial and error. If something bad happens, you can just create new accounts until you figure out what was compromised.

Be careful about sharing your passwords with others- this could make them vulnerable as well! Make sure you only share appropriate information such as credit cards and/or important details like home addresses.

Never use the same password at all of your accounts

This goes along with the idea above, but applies mostly to cases where someone else may access your computer or phone. By never using the same password twice, you reduce your exposure to malicious activity.

If you lose your device, you won’t have to worry about someone logging into your other accounts with your info! You can also change your passphrase frequently to add an extra layer of protection.

Encrypt your devices

One of the biggest weak spots in any network system is encrypted device access. If someone can gain entry into an employee’s computer, smartphone, or tablet, they have full access to all files and information within those systems.

This would include anything from personal documents to internal email accounts. Because most people use their own account for both work and non-work purposes, it is even easier to access company secrets.

By using strong password authentication and limiting shared logins, this can be alleviated somewhat, but not completely eliminated. Even if you only give employees their own phone, you will still need to secure that device somehow!

Luckily, there are many ways to do this. Each one has its strengths and weaknesses, so choose what makes the most sense for yours.

Don’t share your passwords

Sharing your password is one of the worst things you can do when it comes to network security. If you have to share your credentials, use a very secure way to do so.

The most common ways to share someone else's login information are via SMS or chat message with their username as well as adding them as an additional credential under Settings > Account.

By using these methods, there is less risk of eavesdropping since only those close to you will be able to access the info. Avoid giving out your logins openly in case someone steals this data.

Use VPNs

A very popular way to secure your network architecture is using a virtual private network (VPN). A VPN creates an encrypted connection between your computer or device and another site, which you can use to access resources and information as if it were connected directly.

Most companies now offer free accounts that are limited in features, but this is enough for most people to get the job done. There are many different types of VPN services with varying levels of encryption, cost-effectiveness, and feature sets, so do some research and find one that works best for you!

By adding a extra layer of security, you have opened up more opportunities to learn about computers. It is important to be aware of all aspects of networking to make sure everything is protected properly.

Know your employees

As mentioned earlier, protecting your network architecture is not an easy task. It requires constant monitoring and maintenance to work effectively. With that being said, you must be aware of what each employee in your organization knows about your company and how they could potentially use that information for harm.

It’s also important to know what types of technology each person in your organization uses and why. Technology can give someone with wrong intentions access to things or ways to contact you or your company that you don’t want them to have.

By using stealth technology, like encrypted messages or private chat apps, you reduce the likelihood that someone will try to eavesdrop on you. Similarly, limiting the number of people who are allowed into sensitive areas can prevent malicious actors from getting additional knowledge they need to hurt you.

Your job as IT leader doesn’t end once everything is locked down. You still have to make sure everyone has what they need to do their jobs, and you have to monitor those resources to ensure nothing bad happens.

Monitor your systems

The first step in securing any system is monitoring it! This can be done physically, via software, or both.

Physical security depends on whether you are aware of someone else’s actions. If you know someone has access to your building, then they have access to your network. Make sure all employees know how to use their computer equipment and if they are allowed to take it home.

It is also important to check for broken lights, motion sensors, and other indicators that something may not be right with the device. It is difficult to tell if someone is acting suspiciously unless you are watching them constantly, which is hard when you go away at times.

Software security comes down to two things: good passwords and up-to-date anti-virus software. Both of these depend on each individual user to ensure that they are paying attention to what goes onto their machine.

People will probably get distracted or forget about protecting themselves sometimes, but this can be prevented by using strong passcodes and updating your antivirus software frequently.

Update your software

It is impossible to effectively secure an internal network unless you update your software. This includes both operating systems and application software such as Microsoft Office, Firefox, and Chrome.

It is nearly impossible to prevent malware from infecting other computers in a workplace. Once it has infected one computer, it can easily spread via shared documents or files.

Since most people use these apps every day, this gives the malicious actor enough time to install the virus onto additional machines and equipment.

By updating your software frequently, you reduce the chance that the contaminated software will be patched down. These patches usually contain hidden back doors for hackers to exploit next time they are used!

Software updates should at least be done monthly, if not weekly. Doing so more often than once per month is even better because it will ensure that no major vulnerabilities have gone unnoticed.